Rotary engine.



F, WUNDERLICH a L. KOERBER.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED P11527, 19`o9.

928,094. Patented Julyy 13, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2A F. I A

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FRIEDRICH WUNDERLICH, OF SWISSVALE, AND LOUIS KOERBER, F EAST PITTSBURG,

` PENNSYLVANIA.

normar ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 27, 1909.

To all whom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that we, (1) Fnnnnron WUN- DEnLron vand (2) Louis Kenianen,citizens of the United States of America, residing at (1) Swissvale,county of Allegheny and State4 ol Pennsyh Vania, have invented certainnew and useful mprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following isa specification, reference being. had therein to the accompanying draw*ing.

This invention relates to rotary engines and the invention has for itsobject to pr0 vide a novel engine from which a high degree of efficiencycan be obtained with a minimum eX enditure of entirety eing economicallyoperated to dcvelep power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .reversible rotaryengine having a novel governor mechanism for controlling the speedoi"the engine..

A 'urther ol'ijei-.t ol the invention is to provide a steam turbinewherein the propeller Wheels are arranged to develop a high degree ofpower which through the medium of a train o1' gears is transmitted to asingle power shaft.

` ment 5 is W ith the above and other objects in view which will morereadily appear as the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement ol parts tolie-presently described. and then'elaimed.

.ln the dra-wings, `Figure 1. is a vertical transverse seetional view ofthe engine, illustrating the valve thereof in position for driving theengine'in one direction, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview of the engine, vFig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view oi,"the engine illustrating the valve in position to drive the engin e? inan op posite direction, from that shown in Fig. 1, and llig. 4 is asimilar view of the engine with the gear casing removed.

ln the drawings, 1 designates a base plate supporting a cylindricalcasing 2, said casing having a detachable plate 3, and exhaust ports LatA the top and bottoni of said casing. 'lhe easing 2 is provided uponthe rear side thereof with an extension (j, provided with a steam inletport 7 adapted to connect with a suitable steam supply pipe S., Thecentral enlargee fuel, the engine in itsv a centralenlargement 5 havingv(2) East Pittsburg, in the raten-ted muy is, 19,09. serial No. 480,446.

a valve plug 10,said block extending into the casing 2, and into a seat11 provided therefor upon the inner side of the plate 3. The plug 1() isretained within the seat 9 by a stuffing box 12, and said plug is formedwith two longitudinal cylindrical compartments 13 and 14, saidcompartments being se arated by a partition 15 provided with a va` veseat establishing communication between said compartments. The outer endof the'eompartment 13 is closed, by a detachable cap 16 provided with atransverse opening 17 intersecting a portion of the valve plug l0,whereby a suitable instrument or wrench can be used for rotating thevalve plug 10.

ln the easing 2 is secured a valve frame -comprising a central body 18,and radially provided lwith a tapering seat'Q for l governor mechanismdisposed arms 19.` The body 1S of the frame surrounds the valve plug 10,and is provided with two sets ol tangentially disposed ports 20 and 2]Ythese ports being designed to communicate with two sets of radiallydisposed ports 22 and 23 formed in the valve plug 1U, and communicatingwith the compartment 14. The edges of the arms 19 of the valve traineare curved, as at 24, to provide eylinders for four sets of propellerwheels, each set comprising two wheels 25 and 26A mounted upon a shaft27 journaled in the easing 2 and the detachable end plate 3, said shaftsprotruding through said end plate. The propeller wheels and 26 have ltheperiphery thereof provided with tangentially disposed pockets 28 adaptedto register with the ports 20 and 21.

The outer side ol the end plate 3 vided with acentral bearing ity ofantifriction rollersl 3() supporting a large gear wheel 31 adapted tomesh with small gear wheels 32 mounted upon the outer ends of the shafts27. The large gear Wheel 31 is provided with a tubular hub 33, closed bya detaehableslot 34 carried by a shalt 35, journaled in a bearing 36carried by the base plate' l. The gear wheels 31. and 82 are i nclosedby a casing 37 secured to the end plate. 3, and by a collar 88 carriedby the hub 33. Theeasing 37 is provided -with a stulling box 3S) throughwhich one ofthe shafts 37 extends and is adapted to be j rovided with .apulley i pro- ',wheel (not shown) w ereby machinery can be driven by theenefine.

y the tubular hub 33 the is used for .controlling In connection Wit 29for a plurali nected to a valve rod 45 extending through the bearing 29,end plate 3, compartment 14 of the valve plug 10 into the compartment 13of said plug, where a stem is provided with 15 and shut olli' a supplyof steam to the compartinent 14, the steam being admitted to thecompartment 13 through a plurality of radially disposed ports 47 formedin the valve plug 10 and communiczi-ting Wi th the port 7, through themedium of an annular groove 4S formed in the periphery oi the valve plug10.

ln operation, the steam admitted to the fompartment 13 is adapted topass through the valve seat 15 into the compartment 14, and through theports 22 or 23 communicating with the ports 2O or 21, As shown in Figs.1 and 2, the ports 22 communicate with the ports 20, consequently thefour wheels 25 will be driven by steam entering the pockets 28 of saidwheels. With the lour wheels 25 revolving in the 'same direction, the'large gear wheel 31 will be driven and power can bc taken from saidwheel, either through the medium. of the prolonged shaft 27 or the shaft35, the former being preferable.

Should either of the shafts revolve with too great a rapidity, thebell-crank arms 4() are swung outwardly by centrifugal force and throughthe medium of the cross head 42 shift the valve rod 45, and close thevalve 46 until the speed of the engine is reduced.

To reverse the engine, the valve plug 10 is rotated, until the ports 23register with the ports 21, and then steam is admitted tb the pockets 28of the wheels 26, and the proonged shaft 27 and the shaft 35 are drivenin an opposite direction.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the variousparts of the engine are compactly assembled, and that the operation ofthe engine is easily controlled by a single attendant.

It is thought that the operation and utility will be fully understoodwithout further description, and While in the drawings there isillustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, we do not careto limit ourselves to the exact manner of assemblage without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the invention. l

Having now described our invention, what We 'claim as new, is;l

1. A rotary engine comprising a casing having exhaust ports, an endplate detachl i i i i a valvei46, adapted to engage the valve seat blymounted upon said casing, a central enlargement carried by said casingand having an inlet port formed therein, a frame ar-` ranged within saidcasing and providing cylinders, four sets ot' propeller wheels revolublymounted in the cylinders of said frame, each set comprising two wheelshaving the periphery thereof provided with tangentially disposedpoclets, said frame having two sets of tangentially disposed portsadapted to communicate with the ioekets of said wheels, a valve plugadjustably mounted in said cnlargement and extending through said frame,said plug having two compartments formed therein, one of saidcompartments communieating with said inlet port, and the other of saidcompartments with the tan gentially disposed ports of said frame, gearedwheels revolved by said propeller wheels, a large gear wheel driven bysaid gear wheels, said. gea-r wheel having a tubular hub and a governormechanism carried by said tubular hub for controlling the passage ofsteam from one compartment of said valve plug to the other compartment,said mechanism inclmling weighted bell-crank arms, a valve rod extendinginto said valve plug, and a valve carried by said rod, substantially asdescribed.

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing having exhaust ports, an endplate detachably mounted upon said casing, acentral enlargement carriedby said casing and having an inlet port i'olmcd therein, a l'ramearranged within said easing and providing cylinders, four sets olpropeller wheels revo-- lubly mounted in the cylinders ol said frame,each set comprising two wheels having the periphery thereof providedwith tangentially disposed pockets, said trame -having two sets ol5tangentially disposed ports adapted to communicate with the pockets otsaid wheels, a valve plug adjustaplyy mounted in said enlargement andextending through said trame, said plug having two compartments formedtherein, one of said compartments communicating with said inlet port,and the other of said compartments with the tangentially disposed portsof said frame, geared Wheels revolved by said propeller wheels, a largegear wheel driven by said gear wheels, said gear wheel havinga tubularhub, and a governor mechanism. carried by said tubular hub forcontrolling the passage ol" steam from one compartment ofv said valveplug to the other compartment. 3. A rotary engine, comprising a casinghaving exhanstports, an end 'plate mounted upon said casing, a framearranged Withiny saidcasing and providing cylinders, said frame havingtangentially disposed ports formed therein, propeller wheels revolublymounted in said cylinders land adapted to be driven by steam" admittedthrough said. ports, a valve plug extmiding into said frame and havingports formed therein hub-carried `by sai( adapted to register with theports of said frame7 an enlargement carried by said easing and having asteam inlet port formed therein adapted to supply steam to said eyl.inders through said block and the ports thereof, a large gear Wheelrevolubly supported by said gend plate and adapted to be driven by saidpro ieller wheels, a tubular l gear wheel, a governor' mechanismearriedbyj said Vhub for control- 4 ling', the/passage ol steam throughsaid plug,

and means for ymoving said plug to Control the operation of saidpropeller` wheels.

4". Al rotaryv engine7 A"comprising a easing having exhaust ports, anend p'lat'e mounted upon said easing, a l'raiue arranged within saideasing and providing cylinders, said frame having tangentially disposedports foringed' therein ')1opeller Wheels revolubly mounted insaidylinders and adapted to be driven by steam admitted through saidports, a valve plug extending into said frame and having ports ligrlnfedtherein adapted to register with the portsof said frame, an enlargementverified by said easing and having a steam inlet port lorined thereinadapted tol supply steam to said cylinders through said plug and theports thereofI a large gear wheel revolribly supported by said end plateand adapted to be driven by said propeller wheels, a tubular hub carriedby said gear wheel, and a governormechanism earried by said hub for'eontrollingthe passage of steam through said plug.

5. A rotary engine, lcomprising a easing, l'our sets of propeller wheelsrevolubly mounted in said easing, each set comprising two Wheels havinglthe periphery thereof provided with pockets, an enlargement earried bysaid easing and having a steam inlet port formed therein, a valve plugextending through said enlargement intov said easing and ad apted tocommunicate with said ('port and the pockets of Wheel revolublysupported by saidgeasing and adapted tobe driven byrsaidiwhreels, and agovernor meehanisn'i supported by said large gear Wheel for controllingthe admission of steainito the pockets of said Wheels7 said mechanismincluding Weighted bell-eranl levers, a valve rod, a and a valve iiiconnection with said valve 'plug'.

6. A rotary engine, comprising a easing,

four sets of propeller wheels revolubly mounty ed. in said easing, eachset comprising two wheels having the periphery thereof provided withpockets, an enlargement carried by said easing and having a steam inletport formed therein, a valve plug extending through'said enlargementinto said easing and adapted to communicate With said port and thepockets of said Wheels, a large gear wheel revolubly supported by saideasing and adapted te be driven by said Wheels, and a governor mechanismsupported by said large gear 1wheel for controlling the admis saidwheels, a largejgear" sion of steam to the pocket-s of said propellerWheels. Y i

ln testimony whereof we ailix our signa tures in the presence of twoWitnesses.

FREDRICH WUNDERLICH. LOUIS KOEHBE'R.

Witnesses;

MA1;v H. SRoLovirz, li. ll. BUTLER.

